Energy and sustainable development: multiannual programme "Intelligent Energy for Europe", 2003-2006

The committee adopted the report by Eryl McNALLY (PES, UK) amending the Council's common position under the 2nd reading of the codecision procedure. It retabled some amendments adopted by Parliament at 1st reading on setting up a European Intelligent Energy Agency, providing for the involvement of regional or local organisations in the programme and promoting new and renewable energy sources. In a compromise on funding following meetings with the Council, the committee also proposed that the programme's budget should undergo a modest increase from 190 million euros, as specified in the common position, to 200 million euros. Moreover, it again stressed that funding for international promotion should be increased and proposed 34 million euros (as opposed to 16.7 million in the common position), but it deleted the reference specifying what percentage of the total programme cost this should represent. Finally, it called for the external evaluation of the programme to be carried out at an earlier stage than originally proposed in order to allow for any necessary adaptations of the programme in the light of enlargement. �